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<h2 class="left">CHAPTER XVIII</h2>
<p class="st">THE FLIGHT TO<br/>
THE MINE</p>
<p class="cap"><span class="upper">In</span> bringing about the destruction of his
palace Dragonfel’s only thought had
been the destruction of the Brownies.
He had hoped to crush the
sprites by means of the falling
walls and columns, and when he
invoked Vulcan for the assistance
he felt sure would be given to him
he was very careful to keep out
of harm’s way himself.</p>
<p>But like many another vindictive,
revengeful person the
wicked enchanter overreached
himself. He had no idea when he called upon Vulcan to get
busy that the latter would make such a good job of it.</p>
<p>He fully expected the palace to topple down, for that was<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</SPAN></span>
what he had asked for. But he did not want the volcano that
had been thrown in for good measure. It made things too hot
and uncomfortable.</p>
<p>He was very much alarmed when he saw the volcano in violent
eruption, for he realized that the downpour of lava boded
ill for himself as well as for others over whose safety he was
not at all concerned.</p>
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<div class="figleft"> <ANTIMG src="images/i174.png" width-obs="305" height-obs="255" alt="Conversation" title="" /></div>
<p>Thinking only
of himself, he
was on the point
of ordering out
his volunteer fire
department to
subdue the flames
in the crater
when to his great
relief he noticed
that King Stanislaus
had taken the
matter out of his
hands.</p>
<p>From his place
of safety Dragonfel watched the operations of the Brownies,
and he breathed more freely when he noticed that they were
getting the fire well under control, so that the prospect of
all danger was fast being removed through their energetic
efforts.</p>
<p>He realized that after the volcano was subdued these indomitable
little people would devote their attention to him, and
in considering what the outcome would be he grew more and
more uncertain. As a matter of fact, he was beginning to fear<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</SPAN></span>
the mystic power of the Brownies, and he very much doubted
if his big followers with all their boasted strength were a fit
match for these sprites who had not only cunning but courage.</p>
<p>He decided that in the clash which was bound to come it was
best not to risk any chance of defeat in a fair, open fight, but
by underhanded means to overpower them.</p>
<p>Then the diabolical scheme of making the Brownies prisoners,
and setting them to work in his mine, presented itself. If he
fled there with his captives, they would undoubtedly follow in
pursuit, and once in the mine they easily could be made helpless.</p>
<p>The Demon Usher at his feet was going through all sorts of
contortions of fear, and Dragonfel looked sneeringly down at
him.</p>
<p>“Stop your shaking, and listen to me,” he commanded. “We
are going to take the captives to the mine.”</p>
<p>“Let us start at once, kind master,” said the Demon Usher,
in a fever of impatience. “If it gets cool here it will be too
hot to hold us.”</p>
<p>“You will be the only one to stay,” said Dragonfel.</p>
<p>“Oh, say not so, kind master!” cried the Demon Usher, shaking
with even greater violence than before. “If they catch me
they will kill me.”</p>
<p>“Then it will be good riddance to bad rubbish,” was Dragonfel’s
unfeeling retort. “I said you were to stay, so that settles
it. When the Brownies ask you where we’ve gone, you’re to
tell them to the mine. They’ll probably make you lead them to
it. When they do take them to the secret entrance, and after
they are in close the boulder on them. Do you understand me?”</p>
<p>“Yes, I grasp you perfectly,” said the Demon Usher, “but,
oh, kind master, I have a weak heart, and at times it fails me.
Would it not be better to intrust a delicate matter like this to<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</SPAN></span>
Snoutpimple?”</p>
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<p>“After they are imprisoned,”
went on Dragonfel,
unheeding
the suggestion,
“you can come around by the main entrance, and let me
know.”</p>
<p>Just as soon as he was fully convinced that all danger was
over the enchanter passed the word around among his followers
to decamp, and this was effected so insidiously that the Brownies
did not notice it.</p>
<p>They laid rough hands on Queen Titania, Dame Drusilda,
Violet, and Daffodil, muffling the cries for help they tried to
make, and bore them with great haste from the scene of excitement;
the waving arms and kicking availed them nothing.<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</SPAN></span></p>
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<p>With their struggling, protesting
burdens in their arms
they ran toward the mine,
and descended into it
by the main entrance.
When they reached the
great shaft where the
mine-sprites were hard
at work, Titania, Dame
Drusilda, Violet, and
Daffodil were released,
and they looked around
with wonder and surprise.</p>
<p>The mine-sprites cast furtive glances of curiosity at these<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</SPAN></span>
strange new faces that invited confidence, but so frightened
were they when they saw their cruel master that they redoubled
their efforts, and their fingers fairly flew as they dug them in
the earth for precious stones.</p>
<p>“Poor little things!” was Queen Titania’s involuntary cry.
“The work is too hard for them.”</p>
<p>“I’ve been thinking of that,” said Dragonfel, with a chuckle,
“and I’ve decided to put an extra force on.”</p>
<p>“Do you mean to set us to work?” asked Dame Drusilda indignantly.</p>
<p>“Perhaps,” said Dragonfel, with a horrid grin. “Just now,
though, I’m going to take you all to another part of the mine
where we’ll await developments.”</p>
<p>As he spoke he seized Titania’s hand, and began to drag her
off down one of the dark passage-ways. In the same manner
Mandrake followed with Dame Drusilda, while after him came
Boundingbore with Violet and Daffodil.</p>
<p>The mine-sprites watched their retreating forms, but they
were too terrified to speak a word, and were helpless to aid
them in any way.</p>
<p>Dragonfel led the rest along the subterranean passage until
at last they came to a square chamber that had been cut with
much skill into the solid rock.</p>
<p>When Mandrake lit a crystal lamp the great magnificence of
the place was revealed.</p>
<p>The floor and walls were inlaid with precious jewels in designs
that were truly wonderful. Divans were built in at the
sides, and the various creatures of the wild were represented
everywhere.</p>
<p>For all his short-comings, Dragonfel seemed to have a great
respect for animals, and gave their skins at least a rest on his<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</SPAN></span>
floors and walls where they could grin at spiders and moth-millers
with some show of satisfaction.</p>
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<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i177.png" width-obs="442" height-obs="410" alt="Creatures of the wild" title="" /></div>
<p>At the ceiling which was thickly crusted with diamonds there
was a slender open shaft that evidently had been made to provide
air and light but which was too small to provide a means
of escape.</p>
<p>“This is where you’ll stay,” announced Dragonfel. “The
place isn’t half-bad, as things go, so you ought to make yourselves
fairly comfortable in it. You’ll find both hot and cold<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</SPAN></span>
water in the little ante-room screened off by those peacock-feather
portières. Your meals will be brought to you. If you
want to read there’s the dictionary.”</p>
<p>“How long are you going to keep us here?” asked Titania,
with a sinking of her heart.</p>
<p>“Always, and maybe longer,” was Dragonfel’s gruff response.
“Have you brought your knitting with you?”</p>
<p>“If you think you can keep us here against our will,” said
Titania, in a decided tone, “you will find that you are very
much mistaken.”</p>
<p>“How so?” said Dragonfel contemptuously.</p>
<p>“It won’t be long before the Brownies are here.”</p>
<p>“That’s what I fully expect,” said the enchanter, with a
knowing wink, “and after they come there’ll be something doing,
<span class="smcap">believe me</span>!”</p>
<p>He laid great emphasis upon the last two words, and in spite
of all her confidence in Florimel and the Brownies Titania was
filled with great uneasiness.</p>
<p>But she knew that further words would be wasted on him,
so she said nothing more. With Dame Drusilda, Violet, and
Daffodil she retired to a corner of the room, as far removed
from him as possible, where they discussed among themselves
in whispers this new phase of the disagreeable situation.</p>
<p>They hoped that Dragonfel and the rest would go, but still
they lingered, and the enchanter at times looked up at the narrow
opening cut into the ceiling. Finally he gave expression
to a grunt of satisfaction as something he had been watching
for met his gaze, and they noticed with him that a golden flood
of sunshine was pouring through the opening.</p>
<p>“Day at last!” he cried, and, almost with his words, the
Demon Usher made his appearance with a hop, skip, and jump,
while at his back stood a half-starved looking demon whose<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</SPAN></span>
hair had not been cut for a long time, and who had a distinctly
artistic appearance.</p>
<p>“Master, kind master,” the Demon Usher joyously cackled,
“I bear good news. The little commission you intrusted me
with I executed to the best of my ability. Oh, master, you
should have seen how brave I was. I was with them single-handed,
yet I was more than a match for them all. I had the
whole band in terrible fear of me.”</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i178.png" width-obs="451" height-obs="369" alt="The Demon Usher" title="" /></div>
<p>“Stop throwing bouquets at yourself!” ordered Dragonfel.
“Tell me where they are.”</p>
<p>“It’s all easy now,” went on the Demon Usher. “The dangerous
part has been done by me. I’ve got them so cowed<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</SPAN></span>
that now they’ll eat out of your hand. I captured them all
by myself, and drove them into the south lode, where they wait
to do your bidding.”</p>
<p>“Will you permit me a word, kind master?” then spoke up
the half-starved looking demon, as he unrolled a large sheet of
paper. “He doesn’t deserve a medal, or even honorable mention.
I took a rough sketch of him when he had the Brownies
at his mercy, and here it is.”</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i179.png" width-obs="401" height-obs="316" alt="Permit me a word" title="" /></div>
<p>Dragonfel stared at the effort in astonishment.</p>
<p>“You have missed your calling,” he remarked. “You should
be in the Academy of Design.”</p>
<p>Titania had listened with fast increasing alarm, and
now with Dame Drusilda, Violet, and Daffodil she advanced
quickly toward him. “Of whom is this creature speaking?”<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</SPAN></span>
she asked, in evident distress. “Of the Brownies?”</p>
<p>The Demon Usher uttered his disagreeable cackle as Dragonfel
exultingly responded:</p>
<div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/i180.png" width-obs="309" height-obs="267" alt="Conversation" title="" /></div>
<p>“Yes, the Brownies! They are prisoners like yourselves.
Their nights of adventure are over, and they’ll never more delight
in harmless pranks and helpful deeds. Those who seek
their aid will henceforth look for them in vain. They are
doomed to slave in this mine for the rest of their lives!”</p>
<p>Then Grouthead came up running, and he cried in great excitement:</p>
<p>“Master, kind master, we have captured all the Brownies,
and they are helpless. What shall we do with them?”</p>
<p>“Set them to work at once,” spoke Dragonfel. “I will go
back with you to gloat over them.”</p>
<p>He started immediately, and Titania and her companions
attempted to follow, but Mandrake barred the way, and held
them back.</p>
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